Adventure

When it comes to interactive story-driven games Life is Strange is among the best installments in last decade or so. The game has a rather simple gameplay which isn’t as important as story and that is where the game did best.

All fans were overjoyed when they heard that two new installments based on this episodic game will be released. Those two games are the Life is Strange 2 (sequel) and the Life is Strange: Before the Storm (prequel). This article will focus on the prequel and we will discuss the direction in which this game went.

Life is Strange: Before the Storm episode one

Before the Storm is an episodic game, just like the original. This game won’t have supernatural elements as it happens before the story of Life is Strange. This is a story about teenagers and troubles they experience through the most volatile part of the life. The star of Life is Strange (Max) won’t be in the spotlight in this prequel. Instead of her, you will get to control Chloe, who is her best friend.

This is a story about teen girls and their struggles, and therefore some might find this game boring. The protagonist is a 16-years old girl that deals with struggles many of us faced during that age. It’s a story full of angst, and thus many will find it unbearable. Future episodes will probably expand the story from chapter one and probably add new elements to the story.

Story of the Before the Storm

The story (that we can conclude from the first episode) of the Before the Storm is set once again in Arcadia Bay where Chloe is not satisfied with her uneventful life. She doesn’t care about the school, smokes pot and is a punk. This is reflected in the conversation choices you get. Every time you are given an opportunity to answer you will get a list of dialogue options including a soft response and a harsh one. It can be said that no choice in a conversation is sweet which corresponds with Chloe’s nature. The latest addition to the discussion is the Backtalk that allows Chloe to unleash a torrent of put downs and insults. There is a time limit for backtalk, and it’s up to you to ensure that everything is said in that time frame.

So, if you want a teen-based game where you will have to lead a character and try to break in the adults-only punk show and steal a memento as well as work out a way to pay off the weed dealer then Life is Strange: Before the Storm is a game for you. If not then you should wait for later episodes and then decide whether this game is worth picking or not.

The original Yakuza was a PlayStation 2 game that was interesting at the time it came out. The game, especially some of its elements didn’t age well, and right now it’s almost impossible to play it without numerous complaints. Whether the remake can make this game interesting once again is a subject of this review.

Yakuza Kiwami addressed many shortcomings of the original game, but the rework did some damage as it caused some inconsistencies that the fans of the original game might not be able to overlook. Those that didn’t play the original game won’t have these issues, and they will be able to enjoy the game without the need to compare it to the original.

Yakuza Kiwami – The game that reflects the change

This is one of those game remakes that take the path of modernization in its effort to appeal to young gamers. The protagonist isn’t a naïve man anymore; he is a hardened individual that understands how the life works (prison taught him many things). Pre-prison gameplay will give you a taste of Kiryu ( the protagonist) at his full power just like the games from the previous era. But the prison takes its toll, and once he gets out of the jail, Kiryu is at square one, and you will have to reacquire all those abilities once again.

The game introduces many modern mechanics including singing in the karaoke and using the cellphone. Some find this interesting, while others hate it. But Yakuza franchise was always focused on fighting and Kiwami isn’t different.

You will have access to four different fighting styles that are out there for grabs. You will have to gather experience and invest it in skill trees to unlock moves that will turn a bunch of moves into something that resembles a useful fighting technique. Ability (skill) trees are a new addition to the game as the developer decided to forgo the outdated system from the original game.

Yakuza Kiwami – A game that will be worth its price

This game is worth its price, and you should go for it if you like fighting games that have something more to it. This game humanizes its characters and makes them more relatable than other games from the genre. You will feel sad if something goes wrong with the main char and you will also feel pride when you pull something extraordinary. A game that can make you connect with the character and the story is always worth picking, and Yakuza Kiwami is a game like that.